Having the Time of our Lives in Sorrento

Tuesday, May 24, 2011:

Since we have had a string of days stuffed full of activity, we chose to relax by the pool this morning and simply chill. The pool area was lovely with comfortable lounges, and we spent our "down time" reading books, magazines, Kindles, Nooks, and listening to our iPods. We were the only guests at the pool, so we felt as though we had our own private recreation area. I found it to be so peaceful to lie back and allow the music from my iPod to flow through my ears and seep into my brain. I had downloaded some Italian selections by Josh Groban, so I enjoyed soaking in the melodies with Italian lyrics that resonated so perfectly with the surroundings.

With the arrival of a few clouds and a brief sprinkling of rain, Marianne and I walked to the little grocery store in Sant' Agata. A short time later, we all took another walk, turning right at the end of the road in Sant' Agata and exploring an area that we had missed during our initial venture into town. We located an adorable restaurant where we enjoyed another outdoor dining experience for lunch. The bruschetta was delicious with toasted bread that tasted as though it had been generously buttered. Yum. We walked all along the residential streets of hilly Sant' Agata, became momentarily disoriented, but spotted our hotel way off in the distance and managed to wind our way back into familiar territory so we could find the main road that would lead us back to the hotel.

After a quick stop at the Grand Hotel Due Golfi, we took the shuttle into Sorrento, where we shopped all afternoon until dinner. It was so difficult to make purchasing decisions because of the great unknown. How many potential treasures are awaiting us during our upcoming shopping days in Rome? We did, however, buy more scarves and ate dinner at Syrenuse in the square. This restaurant is next door to the steps leading down to Daniele's, the karaoke location for tonight. Just as we finished dinner, our new Australian friends, Scott, Julie, Peter and Sandy, arrived and sat at the table next to ours. We all chatted for a while and then walked down to Daniele's. At first, we were practically the only people in the establishment, and we wondered if we would be singing to entertain only ourselves for the evening. Shortly thereafter, the people began to wander in and the room began to fill. Since we had arrived so early, we had captured prime seating right in the vicinity of the stage and microphone.

We girls performed "Dancing Queen," "I Feel Like a Woman," and during "New York-New York" we were joined by Scott. He was right there with us every step of the way for the kick line. Marianne, Sharon and Laura also sang "Mustang Sally." The unfortunate aspect of karaoke is that the participants cannot choose the key in which the song is played. Consequently, unless the song is recorded in a key that is within your comfort zone, reaching some of the notes can be a mighty painful stretch. (Painful for the audience, that is.)

There was a gigantic pole in the center of the room, and we girls had been eyeing it all evening. We knew we couldn't leave until we posed for a photo with us surrounding that silly pole. It was just one of those photo ops that is difficult to pass up.

We all spent the entire evening singing our little hearts out with everyone in the place. The owner or manager of Daniele's sang a few numbers and really had a very nice voice. When he sang "I Had the Time of My Life" from Dirty Dancing as a duet with one of the customers, it was extremely entertaining. We couldn't stop laughing when the girl dashed to the other side of the room and then ran full blast toward the male singer, jumping into his arms just as Baby (Jennifer Grey) had done with Johnny (Patrick Swayze) in the beloved movie. We were especially tickled by the fact that the guy was so tiny and she was a fairly stocky gal. We really thought she was going to knock him over!

A group of approximately ten or so young women from....well, I'm not sure where.....came in and sang some songs in a foreign language, so that was our cue to leave. If we couldn't join in the singing, it was time to go. We said our goodbyes to our Australian friends, who were absolutely delightful. We had exchanged email addresses and I promised to send the photos I had taken of them.

This was our latest night out in Italy up to this point. We ordinarily cram so much activity into the days, we are in bed reasonably early at night. We left Daniele's at 1:00 a.m., having called a driver who was recommended by our hotel. He was extremely prompt in retrieving us and bringing us up the winding road to our current home away from home. We were all exhausted from our performances of the evening, but it really was a hilarious and memorable time.

When I stop and think about the fabulous experiences we have enjoyed so far and the wonderful people from all corners of the world that we have met along the way, it seems more like a dream than reality. I am so blessed to have these friendships with my traveling companions and to have been able to accompany them to Italy. I know we will sleep like hibernating bears tonight, anticipating tomorrow's new adventures!

I'm closing this post with one final photo to commemorate the evening. Let it not be said that we failed to have an amazing time!!!

Fascinating Day in Picturesque Positano

Monday, May 23, 2011:

We slept like corpses last night after the busy day in Capri and then capping off the evening with our dance fest with the French tourists. The breakfast buffet at the hotel greeted us this morning and consisted of scrambled eggs, some type of sausages that looked like miniature hot dogs (the girls said, "Think Charlie's Hot Dogs"), cereals, peaches, pineapple, freshly squeezed orange juice, a variety of coffee cakes, and croissants that were stored in a device which keeps them warm, tomatoes, salami, cheese, rolls and yogurt--something for everyone.

As we were told that the SITA bus stops directly across the street from our hotel, we waited and waited for it so we could go to Positano and perhaps on to Amalfi and/or Ravello. We chatted with a couple from Ontario, Canada, who were also awaiting the bus. We discussed packing tips, and these were the suggestions that they, as frequent world travelers, offered:

1) Buy the largest Ziploc bags you can find, fold and pack items in the bags, remove the air, and seal
2) Pack shoes around the perimeter of your suitcase, alternate waistbands and legs/shirts on either side, toiletries in center, and fold the clothing like an envelope over the toiletries
3) Buy used clothing for the trip and dispose of the items along the way. Your luggage load lightens each day and you make room for all of the treasures you will buy.

We thought these ideas were certainly interesting, with #3 being an unusual perspective.

One bus passed right by us, and every seat was full. People were also standing in the aisles, so we waited for the next bus--not that we had a choice since this bus didn't even stop. The Canadian couple chose to resort to Plan B and engage in an alternate activity for the day. We waited for quite some time, hoping that the next bus would contain fewer passengers. When it arrived, it stopped, but it was very crowded. A nice man motioned for us to enter a side door in the center of the bus. There were no seats available and very little standing room in the aisles, but if we hoped to see Positano some time today, we knew we should give this bus a shot. Sharon and Marianne ended up standing in the area on the steps where we entered the side of the bus. They were hanging on, but because they were at a lower level than everyone else, they had no air to breathe. I stood in the aisle, trying not to fall over as I braced myself by holding onto the seats next to me. There were two couples traveling together who seemed very nice. They said they were also going to Positano.

The curves in the road ranged from treacherous to actually frightening. The cliffs were a straight drop down, and the path was so narrow that when two buses met, it was a tight squeeze. It was difficult to keep our balance, but we didn't want to put our armpits in the faces of the people who were seated. At the very first stop in Positano, we quickly exited. We couldn't wait to get off of the bus, as we were all feeling rather queasy.

Positano is a vertical village with an approximate population of 4,000 residing on the cliffs of the Amalfi Coast. In 1343, the small fishing village was destroyed by a tsunami and the town has a history of being attacked by pirates during the 15th century. At first glance, it looks as though the pastel colored residences have been airbrushed onto the face of this enormous precipice.

We looked through a few shops on the upper level of the cliffs and then wound our way down, down, down to the village. We stumbled upon a charming restaurant, Max, and enjoyed a substantial lunch. We were seated in a small courtyard area, and there were two young American girls from NYC seated next to us. We witnessed and overheard the entitlement theory at its finest. Our delicious lunch was served on white plates, which were accompanied by brightly colored charger plates.

In many stores, we saw an interesting collection of stretchy rings placed on scarves and also some of the ring-decorated scarves attached to handbags. We bought some unusual striped wrap garments for 10 Euro that you can style different ways on your body. It should be interesting to see what we can do with those! I saw several people who have paired navy blue with green, and it looks very fresh and classy. It is giving me ideas for a nicely tailored navy blue sheath dress with a green scarf.

I also saw cute, delicate ribbons or tiny flowers attached to stacked bracelets. The Italians really know how to accessorize. Laura was wearing a similar bracelet one day that belonged to Marianne. It had an adorable ribbon tied to several bracelets, and it beautifully accented her outfit.














We saw one beach where people can actually stretch out on lounges for sunbathing, but it is very different from the beaches to which we are accustomed. The sand appears to be a dark gray mixture, but I guess it would be preferable to sitting on a jagged rock.

When we were exhausted from all of the walking and the hot sun, we waited on the appropriate corner in Positano for the return bus. It finally arrived, but to our disappointment, it wasn't the one we needed. There was a taxi driver with a van who was more than willing to take us back down the hills for a very hefty price, and as tempting as that was, we resisted the urge because he refused to negotiate. When our bus finally appeared, we were so relieved! The only problem was that it didn't take us to our hotel. It went directly to Sorrento. During the bus ride, there were two young girls and two young boys from California who were seated in close proximity to us. They were beyond obnoxious--very loud, just seeking attention. Laura finally asked them to lower the volume because they were disturbing everyone, and amazingly, they listened and complied.

We exited the bus in Sorrento and walked to the town square, where we enjoyed dinner at Fauno Bar. As we sat there eating and discussing the events of the day, we noticed the two couples who were on the bus to Positano with us. Seated at the table next to us, they asked how our day had been, as they remembered us as well. We visited with Peter, Sandy, Julie, and Scott from Australia for a while and discussed going to a place for karaoke tomorrow night.

Laura and Sharon wanted a photo of an attractive Italian young man for their daughters to drool over, so we were all trying to capture a photo of this striking guy on a bicycle. I got up and walked over, pretending to take a photo of a large pot of flowers, but managed to feature him in the shot. They used their zoom lenses to capture their photos, something I hadn't even thought about doing!

We caught the 9:30 p.m. shuttle back to the hotel and called it a day. I ran downstairs to the guest computer to catch up on some emails before bed.

One thing we all agreed upon was that we couldn't have spent another minute in that bus to Positano, and there was no way we were going to go even further on that road to Amalfi and then possibly Ravello. Perhaps if we had started earlier in the morning before the buses were so crowded, it might have been easier to deal with the curvy road from a seated position. I kept remembering that my friend, Gail, actually drove these roads when she toured Italy! I'm not exaggerating when I tell you that this is one scary path--I shouldn't even call it a road. A boat to Amalfi might have been a more viable option!

Something that surprised us was seeing cactus growing on Positano. We expect this in New Mexico or Arizona, but were definitely amazed to see it in Italy.

At the end of this day, we were all dragging. There would be no dancing tonight, as we left all of our energy on the cliffs of Positano! The photo below is the doorway of a private home that we passed on our walk from the upper level of Positano to the village below. I can't imagine living on the side of a cliff and waking each day to the spectacular view that these property owners enjoy!

Isle of Capri by day--Dancing with French Tourists by night

Sunday, May 22, 2011:

Today is Marianne's birthday and a sunny, magical day to behold. We met at 9:00 a.m. to indulge in the hotel's buffet breakfast, which is included in our room price. Each room is given 3 free Internet access hours on the hotel's guest computer, so Laura tried to send photos to Snapfish but it just wasn't happening and she had to abandon the project.

Taking advantage of the hotel's complimentary shuttle, we forged into Sorrento. We located the port, which involves walking down 100 steps, during which the knees feel as though they might cave in at any moment. Once we arrived at the bottom of the hill, we reviewed our options for visiting Capri. There are ferries, fast ferries, and hydrofoils that frequently depart Sorrento for Capri, as well as other destinations. Interestingly, during April through October, Capri is closed to non-resident traffic. A visitor might bring a car on the ferry during those months, only to discover that they cannot drive on the island. Without a vehicle to be concerned about, we purchased our round trip tickets for 30 Euro and boarded the boat that would take us to one of the most gorgeous settings imaginable.

Sharon and I opted to sit inside while Laura and Marianne were enjoying the fresh sea air on deck. I happened to recognize a lady who was on my flight from Charlotte to Rome, amazed to see a familiar face during the boat ride. I stopped to confirm that she was indeed on my flight, and we spent some time chatting. Millie was traveling throughout Italy for a month with her husband and two young adult children. Although they live in Florida, she was originally from the Bronx. They were a delightful group, and I thought about how special it must be to bring your family and travel together in such a fascinating location, creating memories that will last a lifetime.

While I was visiting with Millie, Sharon was approached by Giuseppe, who guides a Capri tour for 20 Euro, taking visitors throughout Capri and Ana Capri (translation-above Capri) which are the only two towns on the island. Sharon assured him that we would confer with our friends to see if this was something they might like to do. He gave us stickers to wear, designating us as part of his tour group, and told us that if we decided not to join the tour, we could just dispose of our stickers. That was pretty cool. We thrive on flexibility. Presenting the option to Laura and Marianne, we all decided a tour might just be the ticket since we had no clue where we were going when we arrived on Capri. It paid off in more ways than one. As our boat entered Marina Grande, the island's main harbor, we could readily see that Capri's reputation of vast beauty was not overstated.Giuseppe's group consisted of about 15 people (including Millie and her family) in a comfortable, modern tour bus. Giuseppe was a native of Capri and told us that the highway to Ana Capri was appropriately named "Oh, my God!" for a reason. He didn't exaggerate. It was a high, narrow, winding path on the side of a cliff. As a victim of height issues, I honestly couldn't look off the side during a great deal of the ride. We stopped at a particular restaurant recommended by Giuseppe, where we ate bruschetta (I'm sampling it in every town), pizza, salad, melon and prosciutto. Millie's family was dining at the table next to us, so we had another opportunity to chat. I thought it was so crazy that I talked to her as we were exiting the plane in Rome, only to run into her on a boat in a very different region of Italy. Talk about a small world!

We walked all over Capri, visiting some mighty upscale shops on Via Camerelle. These were budget-busting stores, and we did more looking than buying. We also took some fabulous photos from our cliff-side vantage point. Limoncello, anything made from lemons or sporting a lemon theme, handmade sandals, ceramics and perfume are the prevalent items offered on Capri. We ventured back to La Piazzetta, the central square, lined with cafes and touristy shops. Deciding it was time to give our fatigued feet a well-deserved break, we sat at one of the outdoor cafes and enjoyed a beverage. For some reason, the waiter was collecting writing utensils and wanted my pink pen. With all of the notes I am feverishly writing so I don't forget anything of importance on the trip, I wasn't about to relinquish my trusty pink pen. We said goodbye to exquisite Capri and were not really surprised to see Millie and family on our boat returning to Sorrento. I have a feeling that their day was just as memorable as ours.

In the main square, known as Piazza Tasso, there are numerous restaurants, outdoor cafes, and shops from which to choose. We ate dinner at Light Aurora Ristorante, where we chose nice salads, dessert and wine. Since it was Marianne's birthday, Laura arranged for the waiters to bring her a special dessert with a candle while everyone serenaded her with "Happy Birthday to You!" We presented her with a Limoncello-designed apron from Capri. Now when she is in her kitchen at home, slaving away, chopping onions and garlic in preparation of spaghetti sauce, she can protect her clothing with this apron that reminds her of great times in Italy.

We walked back through Sorrento past three live statues to reach the store, Lucky Cuomo, which was our landmark for catching the shuttle. Recovering from the winding, treacherous road to our hotel, we suddenly heard music as we entered the lobby. Curious, we peeked into the lounge area and noticed a singer/guitar player and a handful of dancing couples. We intended to sit down and listen to the music for a few minutes, but somehow we got a second wind and before we knew it we were singing with the music, and then one thing led to another. The music got the best of us and soon we were on the dance floor and the room became filled with the French tourists who were dining here last night. Before long, we were ALL singing and dancing to every song, enjoying a lively, spirited atmosphere. These adorable people couldn't understand a word we were trying to say to them and vice versa, but apparently music is the international language and dancing can be a path to global peace. We had a blast with these people for hours. We requested "New York, New York" and loved the fact that some from their group joined our kick line, while others watched and urged us all to kick higher.
We danced genuine disco style to "Night Fever" and formed two lines to let two people at a time dance through the center. Then Laura started a Conga line, and almost everyone there joined in. It was totally hysterical and such an enjoyable time with these nice people. According to their affable photographer, Girard, who was from Versailles and spoke enough English for us to be able to communicate, these were all neighbors from the French Riviera who were vacationing together. I'll bet that during the rest of their vacation, they didn't experience another night quite like the one they had with us! They were sweet and adorable people, and we enjoyed their company in spite of the language barrier. At the end of the evening when the musician was exhausted, we all hugged and said goodbye. We'd like to offer a warm and special thank you to Girard, who provided the dancing action photos. We all agreed that when our reality show is aired, it would work wonders for foreign relations!

Arrivederci Florence--Buon giorno Sorrento!

Saturday, May 21, 2011:

We finished our last minute packing and while the girls dashed into the cafe for coffee, I ventured back to the Internet location to check email. I was deliriously excited to see that my daughter-in-law, Colleen, had sent pre-prom photos of Gabby and her date! I was so thrilled to see those pictures, and Gabby looked totally grown up and beautiful. I sent a thank you reply, hoping it went through because the system was dangerously close to timing out. I felt as though I was playing "Beat the Clock" while attempting to function on those computers, but having the opportunity to see Gabriella's photos absolutely made me smile all day long!

Everyone needed one final chance to pick up any items that they had examined, had not yet purchased, and were feeling haunted by the fact that we may never be in Florence again during the rest of our lives, so the time to buy was likely now or never. We checked out of our hotel, the desk clerk being willing to split the bill in half for both rooms so we could each allocate our share on our individual credit cards. Sharon returned the converter she had borrowed from the front desk, and with her 10 Euro deposit refunded, it was Arrivederci Florence! It's been fabulous, but we were ready for the next leg of the exciting adventure--Sorrento. Marianne has done an outstanding job in planning our relaxed itinerary. Instead of having to be up at the crack of dawn and join others on an organized bus tour, we are able to take a leisurely approach to moving on to Sorrento. We can set our own pace as long as we eventually arrive at our next hotel at some point today.

After one last trek across the street to the train station with luggage in tow, we purchased our train tickets to Naples. The cost was 76,32 Euro each. With clearer minds and less exhausted bodies, we were finally able to understand how these trains actually function. Although our tickets indicated Napoli (Naples), the huge board stated Salerno, so it was important for us to:

• Inquire at the information desk as to what city would actually appear on the board for our particular train because it lists the final stop only.
• Look at the teeny, tiny print on our tickets and locate the train number, matching that very important number with the information displayed on the board.

Following this advice will greatly eliminate tremendous confusion if you happen to travel through Italy by train.

Upon reaching Napoli Centrale Station, we will need to change to a local train to reach our destination of Sorrento. We dreaded managing our luggage (especially mine) during the train transfers, so we developed a system for maneuvering our belongings. Marianne and I stood guard over our miscellaneous items while Sharon and Laura attempted to hoist all of our large suitcases onto the train. The idea was that some big, strapping Italian guy would take pity on us and offer to help. While it was a plausible theory and had already worked to some degree, in practice, the hunk didn't always materialize. This was one train where no one cared whether or not we ended up in permanent back braces.

At 12:00, we were settled in for our three hour train ride, and we purchased sandwiches from the train's dining car. They seemed to be made with some type of ham, though it was not always easy to bite through. The bread was light and satisfying without overfilling us. The trip was a relaxing, comfortable ride that seemed to move along without a hitch. We have been told, however, that it is important to be extremely wary of unscrupulous people in the Naples train station, so we were ready to be on guard.

We arrived in Naples at 3:10 p.m., and unloading our luggage again was not an easy task. Just as we exited our train and were walking toward the station, a taxi driver asked if we wanted a ride to Sorrento. Being cautious, we initially said, "No." Suddenly, the idea of taking a taxi and not having to handle our luggage again seemed massively appealing. Laura and Marianne returned to the driver and negotiated a reasonable price. The next thing we knew, all of our belongings had been squeezed into the small taxi and we were riding to Sorrento rather than having to schlep our luggage onto yet another train and then scurrying to locate a cab to take us to the hotel.

I have to stop right here and say that there were many friends and family members who recognized that we were four Italian language-challenged ladies traveling all over Italy without a guide, and a great number of those people were seriously praying for us. During this trip, there were times when God sent true angels out of nowhere to be of tremendous help to us, and this taxi driver, Ciro, was the first example of one of those angels. Thank you, God, and thank you to the people at home who love us and were concerned enough to take the time to include us in their thoughts and prayers! It's not as though there were multiple taxi drivers hanging around, waiting for the people to exit the train. There was only one--Ciro--who specifically asked us if we wanted a ride to Sorrento. Coincidence? I don't think so.

The drive was pleasant, though we went through several tunnels (not my favorite thing to do, as I'm excessively phobic about tunnels and have to close my eyes until I can see the light at the end--really difficult if I happen to be the driver). Motorcycles and scooters bobbed and weaved in, out and around cars and taxi cabs as though they were in a road race, but Ciro handled the maneuvering with calming ease. He explained that our hotel, the Grand Hotel Due Golfi, was located high above Sorrento. Technically, it is in Massa Lubrense in the Province of Naples, which is in the Campania region of Italy and just along the narrow, winding road to Sant' Agata Sui Due Golfi, a small village. The climate is Mediterranean, and our view from the hotel almost sucks the breath right out of our lungs because of its remarkable beauty.

We all moaned and groaned as we stretched and tried to get our legs moving after the lengthy ride in the small taxi, but Ciro assisted in carting our luggage to the lobby and gave us his business card. He suggested that if we wanted to visit Pompeii before we leave for Rome, he could return and pick us up on the appointed day, bring us to Pompeii to tour, wait for us, and then bring us to the train station in Naples for a very reasonable price. We would definitely consider his offer, as Pompeii is on our "to do" list.

Our hotel room is spectacular with glass doors that lead to a balcony. We can leave the doors wide open to enjoy the breezy, clean air and a view of the Bay of Naples in the Tyrrhenian Sea that is any artist's dream. We haven't detected any flying insects, so we take full advantage of the refreshing connection with the outdoors. The tile on the floor of our room is a brilliant blue, there is plenty of closet and counter space, and our room is very clean.

The other ladies commented that we should propose a reality show where four American, middle-aged women tour and shop all over the world. Laura suggested the title should be The Traveling Divas. Maybe that could be our retirement gig some day!

After unpacking, we set out on a walk to the next village, Sant' Agata, which is a bit of a trek with no real shoulder on the road and definitely no sidewalks or foot paths for quite some distance. This was an incredibly narrow, heavily traveled road, with vehicles zipping past us at close range. It was early on Saturday evening at this point, and our first venture into Sant' Agata was somewhat creepy. As we walked into town and had to make a decision as to whether we would go right or left, we chose left. We couldn't locate any restaurants, and there were groups of men hanging around on the corners, gawking at us as we walked by. We must have looked distinctly out of place, as we seemed to be a novelty to them. We stopped at a small grocery store, where I picked up some shelled peanuts and San Benedetto peach flavored iced tea. At a produce market, we bought some large oranges, strawberries, and other produce. They offered the most gigantic lemons we had ever seen in our lives, but we didn't purchase those.

Not in our best interest to continue exploring Sant' Agata and end up walking that narrow, winding, busy local road after dark, coupled with the fact that it was beginning to spit rain on us, we opted to walk back to the hotel and enjoy a nice dinner with a salad bar and choice of three entrees. There was a wedding in an adjacent room and a group of French tourists there for a gathering, so it was just a touch noisy, but not really annoying. We could hear the song "YMCA" echoing from the wedding reception. We weren't sure where the bride was from, but "YMCA" is apparently a universal phenomenon. The dining room offered a view of the magnificent blue sea with a steady flow of boats and seafaring vessels, including cruise ships, gliding in and out of the Sorrento harbor.

From our room's balcony, we have the same lavish sea vista that is so perfect it almost seems unreal. We look straight down on Sorrento, population approximately 16,500, and gaze across the sea to the lights in the city of Naples. Tonight we heard shooting noises, stepped out onto our balconies (though perhaps that doesn't sound like the best decision when you think you hear gun fire) and could see sparkling fireworks in the distance. Our balconies are large enough to comfortably house a table and two chairs for lounging outdoors and soaking in the impressive scenery. This is one location I wish I could share with Fred. I believe that he would agree with me that this is, by far, one of the most romantic settings in the world. Che vista meravigliosa sui mare! Translation-What a beautiful view of the sea!

We can hardly wait until tomorrow when we will begin to fully explore this area. We'll be off to the Isle of Capri!

Day of Culture in Florence

Friday, May 20, 2011:

Sharon and I went for a short walk on yet another glorious sunny morning in Florence and then made a stop at the cafe on our corner to sample the apple strudel and peach flavored iced tea. We all then set out to locate the Uffizi Gallery at Loggiato degli Uffizi and discovered that if you haven't purchased your tickets in advance, you can still go there and acquire a ticket for 15 Euro and not have to wait in a line. You also choose the time for beginning your tour. A regular ticket, which places you in a very long queue, is 11 Euro. The extra 4 Euro was well worth it to avoid standing in line, and it also enabled us to explore the surrounding area and return at our designated tour time. Tickets were cash only. We strolled around the adjacent area for a short time before our tour and encountered a mime with a sense of humor. Marianne is wearing those adorable turquoise sandals that she purchased on our first Florence shopping spree while Laura is sporting a lovely scarf. Sharon and I are just hanging for dear life to our handbags!

At the Uffizi, headsets are available for an extra fee for a self-guided walk through the enormous gallery. Additionally, it is possible for two people to share, as you can rent a remote that is attached to a headset and an extra corded ear device is included. What you have to remember, however, is to walk together and do not stray in order to prevent yanking the other person across the room. We learned this the hard way.

Each room is numbered, so on the remote, you press the number of the room you are in and the "play" button to listen to the commentary. We enjoyed hearing some of the background and history relative to the artists and their works, but soon found that by the time we spotted which painting was being discussed on the recording, the commentator had already moved on well in advance of our ability to follow. Some of the paintings were enormous and their frames so intricately constructed.

We toured many of the forty-five rooms, which are arranged in chronological order from the 13th to the 18th centuries. We eventually gave up on the commentary, instead choosing to read any information that was displayed. It was easier! We saw the paintings, one of Adam and one of Eve, by Lukas Cranach Il Vecchio from 1528, which Laura pointed out is the same Eve displayed at the beginning of Desperate Housewives. Good catch, Laura! There were also ancient Roman sculptures to behold.

We stayed in the complex for lunch, dining on a second floor patio and soaking up the pristine fresh air setting. Once again, only cash was accepted at this location. Bottles of water were 3 Euro and a small personal cheese pizza was 5,50 Euro. We weren't allowed to have the tops to our water bottles to take with us, as everything had to be consumed in the restaurant. We found the restrooms on the second floor level to be quite crowded with another very long line, but there was a first floor ladies' room that was clean and had no line. A welcome discovery!

The Uffizi Gallery was amazing, and we could have stayed there all day just looking at the ceilings in the hallways. This is a location that requires unhurried days to explore and absorb the history. We learned that the Michelangelo statue of David--the real one--the one which is kept indoors and photography is not permitted--is actually not located at this gallery. David lives at Galleria della Academia on Via Ricasoli, so Laura retrieved her trusty map and navigated us in the direction of that site. Once again...walking, walking, walking.

During our trek to Galleria della Academia, we encountered the filming of three Jersey Shore guys. It was easy to recognize "The Situation" from Dancing with the Stars. I wondered how much time he spends working out because he does have quite the muscular physique! There was a gang of screaming young girls literally running after the Jersey Shore boys, and the body guards were trying to silence them. Not an easy task. They were truly on a mission of some sort.

Arriving at Academia, we paid our 6,50 Euro and entered the museum doors after waiting in a short line. We were in awe as we gazed at the enormity of Michelangelo's marble statue of David, reported to be 16 feet tall. In 1873, he was moved into the gallery from his outdoor location at Piazza della Signoria to preserve him from weather conditions, vandalism, and any other maladies he might experience while being exposed (pardon the pun) to the elements 24/7. A smaller copy stands in front of Museo di Palazzo Vecchio, as noted in the photo below.

We were particularly astounded at the detail of the original statue, including the prominent veins in his hands and arms. Okay, I realize he is naked, but his hands and arms were what we were concentrating on. Photos of the original David are not allowed inside Galleria della Academia, but several people were spotted sneaking a shot or two with their cell phones and cameras until the guards would sternly chastise them. Did anyone in our group break the rules and take photos? We will not offer any admission of guilt, and whatever happens in Florence stays in Florence.

One guard told me that it took Michelangelo five years to create David. I have read a variety of time frames for this job, but perhaps the guard knows best. This gallery houses works of other artists including Botticelli, as well as the "Luigi Cherubini" Conservatory of Music musical instrument museum, which displayed many old musical instruments including a venerable harpsichord. We could almost visualize men with powdered wigs and women with long, puffy dresses dancing the minuet to the music.

Thinking that it was definitely time for me to check email, I had noticed an Internet, fax, copy, phone card store across the street from our hotel in the underground mall area and proceeded to dive into my neglected email following our return from our day of culture. In this store, the clerk looks at your identification, gives you a pass code to type in, and assigns you to a particular computer. The charge was 1 Euro for 15 minutes and 1,50 Euro for 30 minutes. Time begins to tick as soon as you enter the pass code. I truly believe that the keyboard was adjusted to prevent rapid typing. I decided that this is definitely done by design because in the interim, that clock is tick, tick, ticking away. It warns when you are close to timing out, and I've always read that it is important to actually sign out from where you are on public computers in order to clear everything that needs to be removed. If there was unused time left on that pass code, they could actually enter it and be exactly where you were in your email or whatever task you were performing if you weren't completely signed out.

This was our final full day in Florence, and we considered our thoughts on this location. The population of Florence is approximately 450,000, but it is a relatively easy city to navigate once you have your bearings. We laughed at recalling that on one of our numerous long walks, there was a store with orange luggage displayed in the window, and this was our landmark to turn onto a street that would take us back to our hotel. This particular evening, we walked past that piece of luggage and continued marching for what seemed like miles and miles, only to spot that same store with that lousy piece of luggage looking back at us. How on earth did that happen? We had been walking for a very, very long time and ended up right back at that same store again. There was sort of a "v" of streets at that location and we had chosen the incorrect section of the "v," making a complete circle and being astounded to come face to face with that orange luggage. Once we determined our error, we proceeded along the correct section of the "v" and found our hotel.

Our weather in Florence had been extremely pleasant with temperatures in the 70's and 80's, mostly sunny except for two brief late afternoon showers, with the sun quickly returning.

We agreed that we all felt safe, that it was incredible to experience all of the historical works and the architecture, that it was fascinating to see the strikingly well-dressed, gorgeous Italian people including guys in impeccable suits, and that it was enjoyable to be re-introduced to accessorizing with scarves. Laura had an excellent suggestion to use two-sided fabric tape to hold a scarf in place, as they do tend to shift. Marianne felt that the police uniforms were really sharp. Sharon noted that in our hotel, no iron and ironing board were present and we had been told that they were not permitted in the rooms. We thought it was interesting that we never felt rushed over a meal. As Marianne mentioned, we were encouraged to linger and fully enjoy the dining experience.

This was our final night in Florence, and we had planned to dine at a restaurant recommended by my friend, Sandi, but unfortunately, I had forgotten to bring the address with me. I had emailed her to ask for it once again, but was unable to retrieve the message in time for us to experience her suggestion. We decided to dress up for our last Florentine dinner and to return to the restaurant where we dined on our first night--Ristorante Coccodrillo.

Our waiter, Donnie, recognized us and seated us in a lovely rear outdoor courtyard where he treated us like royalty. He brought us champagne, a platter of cheeses, meats, bruschetta, mushrooms and honey bread, along with a platter of focaccia bread. Patrons at the next table wanted the same thing, but he told them it wasn't on the menu! He topped off our meal with Limoncello and gave each of us a big hug when we said goodnight.

Tomorrow we will do some last minute shopping and then forge on to Sorrento!

Just Another Typical Day in Florence

Another scarf vendor was willing to spend some time sharing her scarf tying skills with us, using Sharon as a model to demonstrate. Will we ever remember the styles we have been shown and how to achieve them?

We simply have to laugh because while we are completely charmed by Florence and everything Italian, there are moments when the simplest task becomes an ordeal. Sharon needed to mail the postcards she had purchased. I realize that this should not be a complicated process, but it can be challenging when one is unfamiliar with the postal system and the language. Entering the post office, we looked all round to attempt to get our bearings and determine what section or line we needed to be in for purchasing postage stamps. In addition to mailing letters and packages, apparently there is a great deal more financial activity occurring within the walls of the post offices in Italy.

A young American girl was watching us, saw that we were perplexed, took pity on us and explained that we needed a number. There were several boards displaying flashing numbers, but we needed to find out where to acquire one of those numbers. We found a yellow machine that offered three categories for obtaining a number, depending upon your intended purpose. Sharon chose one that appeared to be completely logical and walked up to the counter with her number. The clerk told her that she needed the "P" option, which has the symbol of an envelope. After obtaining her new number, she waited at the appropriate location where there were two clerks, both currently helping customers. Her number 44 appeared on the screen, but there was still no available clerk. Number 45 was called and a man marched right over to one of the busy clerks, whose customer was still standing there filling out papers. They called number 46 and I said, "Let's go on up quickly!" We approached the clerk who was now free and Sharon explained that she had number 44. The clerk shook her head negatively and said, "It's go!" She was trying to tell us that this number was already gone and it was too late.

I said, "It's gone??" She reluctantly agreed to wait on Sharon, whose two postcard stamps cost 3,20 Euro. Each postcard requires two stamps, which must be placed in precisely the appropriate locations. Who would ever imagine that purchasing postage and mailing two postcards would almost require an operating manual? We continued to laugh!! It's all you can do because every task carries a learning curve here.

Ready for our bus tour at 2:00 p.m., the tour meeting location was convenient to our hotel--just across the street, as almost everything we were doing just happened to be. We departed on the Chianti Tour with driver, Giovanni, and tour guide, Giovanna. On our way out of Florence, we passed by a British cemetery established because so many British writers and poets came to the city of Florence to gain writing inspiration. After arriving on their Florentine journeys, many remained until they passed away, so a special cemetery was created for them.

During the bus ride, we passed green, rolling hills where grapes and olives were growing in carefully plotted vineyards. We even spied a golf course, and the particular hole that was visible from our vantage point was seriously situated on the side of a steep hill. It probably wasn't a popular walking course!

We were whisked away to a Tuscan winery, Castello di Querceto, the meaning of which is related to oak, and has been owned by the Francois family since 1897. Alessandro Francois, a descendant of the original owner, Carlo Francois, took over the vineyard in 1978. Even in 2011, the grounds maintain magical historical charm.

Arriving at Castello di Querceto in the northeastern side of the Chianti Classico area, we were brought to a pristine dining room that was beautifully arranged with lovely table settings complete with bread, cheese and some sort of smushed bruschetta, water, and wine glasses. At our table were three young girls in their twenties from Delaware, though one now resides in Philadelphia. We thoroughly enjoyed the wine tasting and accompanying munchies and were treated with just enough of a sample to be able to determine our favorites. I knew I couldn't fit a toothpick in my luggage so I wouldn't be purchasing any Italian wine or olive oil.

As we exited the dining room, almost as though on cue, a brilliantly colored peacock presented a perfectly timed show for us, strutting around with a full display of his feathers in order to please the crowd.


During our return drive to Florence, we stopped in the small village of Greve, where we were given a short time to wander the streets, visit the shops, and absorb some sense of what life in a small Tuscan village represents. Apparently, we were soaking up more local color than the others on our tour, as the entire bus was filled and everyone was waiting for us when we arrived at the appointed site to re-board the bus.

Dinner this evening was at a small restaurant called La Divina Osteria on Via Guelfa, which we happened to walk past on our way to find the square where the Duomo is located (Piazza del Duomo), which we never actually found that night. We dined indoors and I enjoyed the spaghetti--deliciosa! There were two rooms in this restaurant, and the room adjacent to ours was filled with about twenty very boisterous school children. The noise didn't bother us, but some diners appeared to be shell-shocked as they walked out of their dining room.

I'm not sure why we keep encountering such odd restroom issues, but this one was really bizarre. There was only one restroom in this restaurant, and it had a sign saying "toilette." Okay, we get it, but one walks into this room and encounters three stalls with doors. There could be any combination of men and women in there are any given time. Forgive me, but I find that to be beyond strange. Sure enough, when I was washing my hands, a man started to walk right in, but thankfully had the courtesy to turn around and leave when he saw that there was a woman present.

Once again, it has been a long, but wonderful day with many more miles added to the soles of our shoes. Marianne had suggested that we bring a foot cream with us on this trip, and I brought something called Mentha Foot Tingling Foot Cream-Peppermint Oil with Aloe by C. O. Bigelow Apothecaries. My tired feet could almost be overheard saying, "Ahhhhhhhhh....." when I applied this fabulous cream. Someone had mentioned putting Vaseline on their feet, but that sounds a little too messy in my opinion.

We all crashed in our rooms to rest for tomorrow's new adventures. It is refreshing to have our respective quiet time to re-charge our physical and emotional batteries! We all agreed that visiting Tuscany's Castello di Querceto was a major highlight of our trip up to this point.

Florentine Journey

Florentine Journey:

We arrived at the River Arno bridges again and located the section featuring the jewelry stores. They were teeny, tiny shops where more than five occupants would constitute a crowd with an oxygen deficit. The girls investigated the merchandise options, but decided that their favorites were generally rather pricey and they might fair better in NYC.

Laura was further pursuing the possibility of a purchase while Sharon, Marianne and I were more interested in finding a place to sit for a few minutes. The search for available seating is like a treasure hunt, and we eventually spotted a couple who were looking ever so comfortable on a second level balcony that overlooked the streets and shops. As a bonus, it was affiliated with a gelateria. It looked so inviting, we left Laura in the jewelry store and walked over to order a snack. The gelato servings were huge, and Marianne was being so good, ordering a fresh fruit cup instead. We loved sitting on this balcony that overlooked the constant flow of shoppers on the street below. I noticed a gathering of police on the corner, but couldn't detect any evidence of a threatening issue of any kind. The large group of officers just seemed to be hanging around.

Completing her jewelry shopping, Laura joined us and we once again set out walking. We hadn't traveled far when we approached a crowd of people who were following two young girls. These young ladies were surrounded by a camera crew and body guards. What was going on here? It seems that we had stumbled upon Snookie and Sam from The Jersey Shore reality show. Marianne had heard that they were filming in Florence, but we had no idea we would run smack into the shoot. The Jersey Shore girls stopped at a corner vendor and purchased some items as the cameras rolled.

We were fascinated and stopped to observe, taking a few photos. A large group of spectators had formed, and the crew requested that the audience not just stand there staring. The female crew member located by us kept saying, "It's going to look weird if everyone is just standing here. Sweep.....sweep..." she would say, motioning with her flailing arms to keep everyone moving and not stuck in the same spot. Most people weren't really cooperating with her requests, however. She turned to Sharon and me and said, "Look what my life has become!"

We began snapping photos, and a huge body guard positioned himself between the girls and my camera. He said, "Just take a photo of me!" So I did. I'm sure they have trouble distinguishing between the curious tourist and the serious paparazzi whose intention is to sell their photos to the tabloids. We did manage to capture a few photos in spite of their protests.

Trudging on foot back to the hotel to freshen up, we were literally putting miles on the soles of our shoes! I was wishing that I had brought my pedometer so I could see exactly how far we were walking every day. I may have said this before, but that thought frequently entered my mind.

Following a short rest, shower, and change of clothing, we began walking once again toward the area of the various piazzas to find a suitable location for dinner. We chose Il Grande Nuti, located on Via Borgo San Lorenzo, which turned out to be another lovely outdoor dining experience. Sharon and I decided on a pork steak special, just a touch dry, but not bad. Laura opted for steak and Marianne tried the salmon. Once again, the local house wine was an appealing choice.

During our after-dinner walk through the squares and piazzas, we were constantly approached by young guys who were launching these bright and sparkling whirling things they were selling. It actually became annoying because they would aim them to land right at your feet. They were pretty decent about taking no for an answer, however. Then there was the young girl selling scarves. She walked along with us, targeting Marianne to buy one of her selections, and the further we walked away from her, the lower the price became. When she reached 3 Euro, Marianne finally relented and bought the scarf. It was a nice choice, and the price was right. Frequently, we did find that with street vendors, our lack of interest could reduce the price.

By the end of the evening, we were really exhausted again. I believe it will take a few days to adjust to the jet lag/time difference issue. It's almost as though your brain is foggy--sort of like it's too difficult to concentrate on anything that involves intricate details. I found it practically painful to try to look at our map with the tiny print.

Upon returning to our hotel, we all went to our respective caves, closed our doors and settled in for the night.

Thursday, May 19, 2011:

The safe in my room wasn't functioning, so I have been using Sharon's. I called the front desk to see if they could fix it so I won't have to keep bothering Sharon every time I want to get in and out of the safe. The maintenance person diagnosed the problem and had it fixed within seconds. It needed a new battery.

The maid must have removed Sharon's wash cloth along with the towels, but she wouldn't admit it. Sharon attempted to communicate with her in hopes of having it returned, but that simply wasn't going to happen---ever. It's like the maid had no idea what Sharon was trying to convey or she's just pretending not to know. It's difficult to tell.

We ventured back to the leather market area today, purchasing some handbags, scarves, and other souvenirs. We ate a delicious light lunch in one of the restaurants behind the vendor booths. The sandwiches were on some sort of very light bread, and the ingredients were ever so fresh. It was just enough food to fill us without making us feel bloated.

There was one particular oriental scarf vendor who displayed a variety of examples of interesting scarf tying methods. With lightning speed, he could create a sophisticated look. We asked him to take it slowly and start at the beginning so we could follow his styling process and...oh dear....perhaps even remember how he accomplished this. We concurred that we would literally have to practice in order to duplicate and perfect the scarf arranging skills that he attempted to impart to us. We all talked about how we have scarves at home, but don't often bother with them because it takes too much time and effort to fuss with them to get them just right before dashing out the door.

"Don't be afraid of the scarf," Sharon offered.

"That's right--do not fear the scarf," reiterated Laura.

Tomorrow, our oldest granddaughter, Gabriella, is going with a guy friend to his Senior Prom, so I called and left her a voice mail so she would know I was thinking of her. I know she'll look gorgeous, and I wish I could see her in her gown and up-do in person. I sure hope she emails some photos to me! Although I'm having a great time in Italy, I keep thinking about her going to her first prom--and how quickly they grow up in the blink of an eye.